Council 2002 Civic Awards John Willocks & The Eastenders We are pleased to report the presenting of a Community Service Award to John Willocks by the Hagley-Ferrymead Community Board on 10th October. The citation reads: ‘John has been a member of the ‘Eastenders’ work party for many years and its co-ordinator for the last ten years. The Eastenders work on the Eastern Port Hills building and maintaining tracks, planting trees and controlling weeds. As part of the Summit Road Society, they work closely with the Christchurch City Council’s Park Rangers and other groups such as Turning Point 2000. Under John’s leadership membership of the group has grown and the number of days worked Otahuna Outing 22 September 2002 and the scope of work has The photo shows Geoffrey Rice addressing members during the also increased.’ Otahuna Outing. Dr Rice of the History Department at the The Society congratu- University of Canterbury last year published a book on Sir Robert Heaton Rhodes. His address described the human side and lates John Willocks for achievements of the man who created the house and garden we well-deserved recogni- were visiting and who dominated many aspects of Christchurch tion of his considerable life in the first half of the twentieth century. Your editor added efforts on our behalf. details about the Otahuna garden in the context of Christchurch As he himself remarked, garden history. the award is also rec- We were relieved to finally hold this outing. Twice cancelled due ognition of the contri- to the weather, this time a near-gale was blowing during the butions to public en- morning, which posed a potential danger in this tree-clad garden. joyment of the hills by Eastenders Work Party in snow However the wind dropped just in time and we were pleased to all Eastender and other at Castle Rock, about 1999. at last enjoy our outing in fine weather. The famous Otahuna work party members. daffodils were still to be seen although past their best. Later in the afternoon about 30 of the 60 original starters took the walk from Otahuna to the lower reaches of Omahu Reserve, a route not Paul Loughton normally available as it crosses private land. Paul Loughton is to be presented with a Civic Award by The Society thanks Mr & Mrs Radford-Kirby, the owners of the Mayor on 26th November 2002. The citation reads; Otahuna, for permission to make this visit. Although Otahuna was semi-public in recent years, the new owners have converted ‘Paul Loughton has been an active member, a valuable the property back to the private residence it once was. We appreciate Committee member and Treasurer, since he joined the their hospitality, particularly in view of the on-again-off-again Society in 1985. At present, he represents the Society on the nature of our plans. We also thank Mr & Mrs Wilson for permission Advisory Committee of the Summit Road Protection to cross their land en route to Omahu. Authority. His expertise enabled the Society to negotiate the tenuous course of the initial and subsequent Ohinetahi land purchase. His careful monitoring of finances covering all the aspects of the Society’s activity over a period of 17 years has helped to provide a degree of certainty for the future of the Society and its continuing benefit to the people of Christchurch. His membership of the Kennedys Bush Association and of the Turning Point 2000 Port Hills Project are other areas where Paul has freely given of his time and service to the The Plains as seen from lower Omahu Reserve on our Outing September community.’ 22nd. Otahuna is out of sight where the lower valley meets the Plains. 2 Editorial priorities)? I don’t think so. This is a small multi-purpose pleasure road, humble and in harmony with its setting. It also Ah, the Summit Road! Top down in the MG, sun on the back is unique in location, character and purpose. The Summit of the neck, freedom of a summer Sunday. Not fast, just Road passes through a landscape that, while robust in some cruising - pleasure of movement and machine, twisting ribbon senses, is very prone to be altered in character by changes of road, cyclists, walkers with day-packs and dogs, dry grasses wrought upon it. Would Transit really know how to keep nodding at the roadside, and Christchurch stretched out below, ‘hands off’ and maintain the current harmony? Maybe, maybe flat and wide. Up here everything seems to work together - not. But having myself worked on highway landscaping projects people, place, machines. since the 1970’s, personally I doubt it. Fund maintianence of Harry, some parts you would hardly recognise – the tour buses the Summit Road certainly, but let’s not change it. and parapenters, the mountain bikes with air suspension and Members would have been shocked to read of the death of cadmium alloy frames, the extent of Christchurch’s spread Peter Yeoman in October. Your editor frequently was critical and the huge, brightly-coloured container vessels at the port. of Mr Yeomans’ policies on Port Hills development, both at But other parts you would recognise – the cloud patterns and hearings and in this Newsletter. Our most recent locking of skylines, the light and winds and colour of the grasslands. You horns was over the Montgomery Spur development, of which also would recognise the freedom of the people, cheerfully he was the prime promoter. And before that the gondola. roaming the land, happy breaks from city routines, smiles on However I also worked with Peter a few times, respected and their faces. This was your vision for the Port Hills and, give liked him, and was grateful for generous assistance he provided of take some details I think you would smile Harry, once you those around him along the way. It therefore is a matter of got used to it. sadness to learn of his passing. I always regarded our criticisms But a state highway? I’m sure the MP in you would like central as ‘grist to the mill’ of debate regarding the Hills, and was funding but should this delicate little road really be entrusted willing to take criticism as well as give it. My main interest to Transit New Zealand? Guidelines and regulations for semi- was achieving the best outcome for the Hills. It was nothing trailers and volume traffic? Curvatures for high-speed safety personal. No doubt plenty debate is still to come regarding and A to B business? Remote, single-purpose administration the Port Hills but many will miss Peter along the way. from Wellington (via a local office, but beholden to national Graham Densem Summit Road Society (Inc) PO Box 583, Christchurch Website: www.summitroadsociety.org.nz Email: [email protected] President Maurice McGregor 332 0597 Vice-President Gordon Kirk 332 7134 Treasurer Paul Loughton 322 7082 Administrator Carol Haars 942 4857 Summit Road at Ahuriri. Our next state highway? Co-ordinator Graham Densem 348 9252 Trust Established (from Society press release) Committee Graham Dunbar 358 8278 Harry Ell honoured in Memorial Trust Mike White 329 9018 Barry Gerard 326 5105 The Summit Road Society, the tireless champion of open Anne Kennedy 337 0364 spaces on the Port Hills, has recently formed the Harry Ell Summit Road Memorial Trust to attract more funds for even Work Parties greater achievements. Eastenders John Willocks 384 3252 Henry George Ell, a Christchurch MP (1899 – 1919), social Kiwigang Anne Henderson 352 8058 reformer and visionary, was largely responsible for the Ohinetahi Gordon Kirk 332 7134 formation and protection of the Summit Road and its associated open spaces. His grandson, John Jameson QSM, Weekenders John Grennell 358 4438 aged 81, is one of the founder trustees, and is still an active We are a voluntary society promoting enhancement, preservation and member of the Summit Road Society he established in 1948, protection of the nature, beauty and character of the hills of Banks 14 years after Harry Ell died. Peninsula, for people’s enjoyment. We need and welcome contributions to our work through memberships, Trust Chairman Maurice McGregor said Harry Ell’s foresight donations and corporate sponsorships, participation in work parties and the society’s dedicated implementation of that vision had (non-members welcome - but why not join us as well!), and bequests. gifted Christchurch residents and visitors a priceless legacy. Continued next page 3 One regular visitor from the USA made the first donation to facilities. Harry Ell died in 1934 and the Trust seeks to continue the new Trust - $1000 and a promise of a further $2000. his work on the Port Hills,” Mr McGregor said. Professor Al Fagerstrom of Ann Arbor, Michigan, lived in The Trust’s purposes are to raise funds to enable the Summit Christchurch each summer from 1994 – 2000. "I soon learned Road Society to purchase and otherwise acquire land on the of the beauties to be enjoyed by looking both toward Port Hills for conservation purposes, to fund the on-going Christchurch and toward Lyttelton Harbour from the Summit maintenance of tracks, vegetation and facilities. Road. Since this early discovery, I repeatedly drove all segments of the road and hiked many of the excellent tracks especially The founding Trustees [pictured front to back] are John the one from the Sign of the Takahe to the Sign of the Kiwi Jameson QSM, Maurice McGregor NZ 1990 Comm. Medal and those near Godley Head,” Professor Fagerstrom said. (Chairman), Paul Loughton (Treasurer), Graham Densem and Gordon Kirk QSM. Mr McGregor said the Summit Road Society seeks to minimise residential encroachment and intruding structures on the Port Hills.